When the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let’s get the ark of the LORD’s covenant out of Shiloh and bring it to us, that it may come among us and save us out of the hand of our enemies.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 3. Ancients; the commanders of the respective tribes. Heli was not able to lead on the people to battle, on account of his blindness and great age.—Enemies. All nations attribute much to the exterior marks of religion. The Israelites had witnessed the victories which had been obtained while the ark was present. Joshua 6:4. See Numbers 14:45. But they ought to have considered, that their infidelity rendered them unworthy of the divine protection; and that God was more displeased at their profanations, than at the indignity to which the sacred vessels would be exposed. He would know how to vindicate his own honour and glory. The symbols of religion were thus carried in the army, by the Persians, and so forth Herod. vii.—The Romans regarded their standards as so many deities. Halicar. vi. See 2 Kennicott. 6:21. 2 Chronicles 13:8. Calmet.—The confidence which the Israelites placed in the ark was commendable, but their sins deserved to be punished. Worthington. Numbers 10:35.